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MEAC/SWAC Challenge

Annual American college football game

Summary

Annual American college football game

FieldValue
nameMEAC/SWAC Challenge
full_nameCricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge
former_names{{ubl
Ford MEAC/SWAC Challenge (2005–2006)<ref name"onnidan.com"
MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney (2008–2015)<ref name"meacsports.com"
logoMEAC SWAC Challenge Logo.png
stadiumCenter Parc Stadium
previous_stadiums{{ubl
locationAtlanta, Georgia
previous_locations{{ubl
years2005–present
conference_tie-insMid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC)
Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC)
sponsors{{ubl
ESPN (2005–present)<ref>{{cite webtitleMEAC/SWAC Challenge seturl=http://infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/image/v2%3A138F0D9908AC8D5F%40EANX-1523D277A1AB5093%402453280-152291B9CC11F4B2%4066-1523DFE65A9943E0%40?p=AMNEWSwork=Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. D, p. 3)date=October 1, 2004}}
Ford (2005–2006)<ref name"onnidan.com"/
Walt Disney World Resort (2008–2015)<ref name"meacsports.com"/
website

|Ford MEAC/SWAC Challenge (2005–2006) |MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney (2008–2015) |Legion Field (2005–2007) |Camping World Stadium (2008–2013, 2015) |Spectrum Stadium (2014) |Municipal Stadium (2016) |A. W. Mumford Stadium (2017) | Birmingham, Alabama (2005–2007) | Orlando, Florida (2008–2015) | Daytona Beach, Florida (2016) | Baton Rouge, Louisiana (2017) | previous_tie-ins = | conference_tie-ins = Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) |ESPN (2005–present) |Ford (2005–2006) |Walt Disney World Resort (2008–2015) |Cricket Wireless (2020–present)

The MEAC/SWAC Challenge is an annual historically black college (HBCU) football game showcasing a team from each of the two NCAA Division I conferences made up entirely of HBCUs—the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). The series began in 2005 and initially paired the defending conference champions, although the selection process was broadened in 2007 to include non-champions as well. The series record currently stands at 11 wins for the MEAC to the SWAC's seven (along with a "no contest" game in 2016, and a cancellation in 2020). The Challenge is televised nationally on ESPN and is owned by ESPN Events. It was historically associated with the Labor Day weekend, but starting in 2021 has instead taken place a week earlier during college football's Week 0.

History

South Carolina State beat Alabama State in the first Challenge in 2005, and for its first three years the event was held in Birmingham, Alabama (home of the SWAC's offices), at Legion Field. In 2007, the event attracted its largest crowd—over 30,000—as Southern beat Florida A&M and earned the SWAC's first victory in the series. In 2008, the Challenge moved to Orlando, Florida after a new sponsorship was announced; Walt Disney World Resort would sponsor the event for eight years until 2015. From 2008 to 2013, as well as in 2015, it was held in Orlando at the Florida Citrus Bowl, now called Camping World Stadium. In 2014, the game was played at Spectrum Stadium, now known as FBC Mortgage Stadium, as Camping World Stadium underwent renovations.

In April 2016, it was announced that the game would move to campus sites for 2016 and 2017 (on September 4, 2016, Bethune–Cookman attempted to host Alcorn State in Daytona Beach, Florida, but the game was halted before halftime due to lightning associated with feeder bands from Hurricane Hermine; on September 3, 2017, Southern hosted South Carolina State in Baton Rouge, Louisiana). The event moved to a non-HBCU campus venue in 2018—this time at Center Parc Stadium on the campus of Georgia State University in Atlanta.

Nine future NFL draft picks have played in the Challenge. They are Phillip Adams (South Carolina State), Michael Coe (Alabama State), Johnny Culbreath (South Carolina State), Justin Durant (Hampton), Javon Hargrave (South Carolina State), Temarrick Hemingway (South Carolina State), Curtis Holcomb (Florida A&M), Tarvaris Jackson (Alabama State), and Kendall Langford (Hampton).

The 2020 game, as well as the Celebration Bowl, were both canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic (in particular, due to a decision by the MEAC to cancel all fall sports for the 2020 season).

Game results

YearMEAC representativeSWAC representativeAttendanceLocation
2005South Carolina State Bulldogs}};"[](south-carolina-state-bulldogs-football)27Alabama State Hornets}};"****14
2006Hampton Pirates}};"No. 13 [](2006-hampton-pirates-football-team)27Grambling State Tigersborder=0}};"No. 23 26 OT
2007Florida A&M Rattlers}};"[](florida-a-m-rattlers-football)27Southern Jaguars}};"****33
2008Hampton Pirates}};"[](hampton-pirates-football)17Jackson State Tigers}};"[](2008-jackson-state-tigers-football-team)13
2009South Carolina State Bulldogs}};"No. 16 [](2009-south-carolina-state-bulldogs-football-team)34Grambling State Tigersborder=0}};"No. 25 31
2010Delaware State Hornets}};"[](2010-delaware-state-hornets-football-team)27Southern Jaguars}};"****37
2011Bethune–Cookman Wildcats}};"****63Prairie View A&M Panthers}};"****14
2012Bethune–Cookman Wildcats}};"****38Alabama State Hornets}};"****28
2013Florida A&M Rattlers}};"[](2013-florida-a-m-rattlers-football-team)27Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils}};"[](2013-mississippi-valley-state-delta-devils-football-team)10
2014North Carolina A&T Aggies}};"****47Alabama A&M Bulldogs}};"[](2014-alabama-a-m-bulldogs-football-team)13
2015South Carolina State Bulldogs}};"[](2015-south-carolina-state-bulldogs-football-team)35Arkansas–Pine Bluff Golden Lions}};"****7
2016Bethune–Cookman Wildcats}};"******7Alcorn State Braves}};"*[](2016-alcorn-state-braves-football-team)*13
2017South Carolina State Bulldogs}};"[](2017-south-carolina-state-bulldogs-football-team)8Southern Jaguars}};"****14
2018North Carolina Central Eagles}};"[](2018-north-carolina-central-eagles-football-team)24Prairie View A&M Panthers}};"****40
2019Bethune–Cookman Wildcats}};"****36Jackson State Tigers}};"[](2019-jackson-state-tigers-football-team)15
2020Game canceled due to COVID-19. Originally South Carolina State v Grambling State.Center Parc Stadium (Atlanta)
2021North Carolina Central Eagles}};"[](2021-north-carolina-central-eagles-football-team)23Alcorn State Braves}};"[](2021-alcorn-state-braves-football-team)14
2022Howard Bison}};"[](2022-howard-bison-football-team)13Alabama State Hornets}};"****23
2023South Carolina State Bulldogs}};"[](2023-south-carolina-state-bulldogs-football-team)7Jackson State Tigers}};"[](2023-jackson-state-tigers-football-team)37
2024Norfolk State Spartans}};"[](2024-norfolk-state-spartans-football-team)23Florida A&M Rattlers}};"[](2024-florida-a-m-rattlers-football-team)24
2025North Carolina Central Eagles}};"[](2025-north-carolina-central-eagles-football-team)31Southern Jaguars}};"****14
2026Howard Bison}};"[](howard-bison-football)Alabama A&M Bulldogs}};"[](alabama-a-m-bulldogs-football)
2027South Carolina State Bulldogs}};"[](south-carolina-state-bulldogs-football)Alabama State Hornets}};"****
2028Norfolk State Spartans}};"[](norfolk-state-spartans-football)Jackson State Tigers}};"[](jackson-state-tigers-football)

Footnotes

References

References

  1. (February 27, 2006). "ESPN Announces 2006 MEAC / SWAC Challenge Game". onnidan.com.
  2. (2008). "Tickets for the 2008 MEAC/SWAC Challenge Presented by Disney Go on Sale June 1". meacsports.com.
  3. (March 16, 2015). "Matchups Announced for 2015 MEAC/SWAC Challenge". swac.org.
  4. (October 1, 2004). "MEAC/SWAC Challenge set". Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. D, p. 3).
  5. Butler, Andreas. (September 8, 2016). "Not one for the record books: The unfinished MEAC/SWAC Challenge will have no negative financial implications for the universities, conferences or ESPN". Daytona Times.
  6. [http://espnevents.com/meac-swac/ MEAC/SWAC Challenge – ESPN Events.] {{Webarchive. link. (2016-06-25 [[ESPN]].)
  7. (2016). "MEAC/SWAC Challenge: About". meacswacchallenge.com.
  8. (September 2, 2006). "State Capsules: Hampton vs. Grambling". Baton Rouge Advocate (sec. C, p. 16).
  9. A'Leaka Brown. (September 5, 2016). "MEAC/SWAC Challenge Ruled a 'No Contest'". thecampuschronicleasu.com.
  10. Stu McCann. (June 3, 2016). "City of Houston wants to be new home of SWAC headquarters". abc3340.com.
  11. /humans.txt. (22 April 2016). "2016 & 2017 MEAC/SWAC Challenge Matchups Announced - MEAC / SWAC {{!}} ESPN Events".
  12. /humans.txt. "2 MEAC/SWAC Challenge Alumni Selected in 2016 NFL Draft - MEAC / SWAC {{!}} ESPN Events".
  13. "MEAC-SWAC 2020 football matchups in Atlanta canceled".
  14. Grant, Thomas Jr.. (September 4, 2005). "S.C. State Posts impressive win over Alabama St.". [[The Times and Democrat]].
  15. Grant, Thomas Jr.. (September 4, 2005). "SCSU (continued)". [[The Times and Democrat]].
  16. (2016). "MEAC/SWAC Challenge: History". .meacswacchallenge.com.
  17. "HBCU Attendance Numbers: MEAC/SWAC Paces Week One ~ HBCU GAMEDAY".
  18. (September 2014). "North Carolina A&T rolls to win over Alabama A&M in Orlando's MEAC/SWAC Challenge - Orlando Sentinel".
  19. "South Carolina State vs. Southern - Game Summary - September 3, 2017 - ESPN".
  20. Kevin Kelley. (December 17, 2018). "Jackson State, Bethune-Cookman to play in 2019 MEAC/SWAC Challenge". fbschedules.com.
  21. (16 July 2020). "2020 MEAC/SWAC and Celebration Bowl canceled".
  22. (30 July 2019). "2020 MEAC/SWAC Challenge matchup is set".
  23. (20 August 2021). "MEAC/SWAC Matchups through 2024 announced".
  24. "Jackson State 37-7 South Carolina State (Aug 26, 2023) Box Score".
Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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